


Truth and Consequences

by Cat_Moon



Category: Torchwood
Genre: F/M, Gwen Bashing, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 17:29:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19398949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat_Moon/pseuds/Cat_Moon
Summary: The oft used but fun plot device where someone presses the Big Red Button.  Suddenly no one can tell a lie.  It's quite eye-opening.





	1. Truth

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little thing I wrote back in 2010. Pretty sure it was posted on AGA.

“Gwen, no!” Jack yelled in alarm, striding into the main room of the Hub. It was too late – she’d pushed the big red button on top of the alien tech they’d recovered from Splott that morning.

“What?!” Gwen grumbled obtusely. “How else are we going to figure out what it does if we don’t push the buttons?”

“Oh God,” Jack groaned, staring at the box in horror.

Ianto rubbed his hands on his trousers nervously, watching the box as if he expected it to bite him. Or perhaps explode. “What, are we all going to die from some alien gas now?”

“Worse,” Jack intoned. “That’s a Truth Puller. It’s used on Galexi Six by police and mental health professionals. It forces people’s deepest, darkest truths out of them.”

“Well it’s obviously not working, is it?” Gwen pointed out reasonably, tapping her foot. “None of us have the urge to tell any secrets, do we? It was probably damaged coming through the rift.”

Ianto thought that probably wasn’t the best question to ask, but before he had a chance to say so, Jack answered.

“Well, now that you mention it…” Jack fixed him with an intent gaze. “Ianto, I need to tell you now, in case… before it’s too late. I love you.”

Ianto gulped, staring at his lover. Before he could formulate a response though, Gwen beat him to it.

“Stop having us on, Jack,” she scolded. “Normally I appreciate the comic relief you two provide, but I don’t think that type of joking around is very nice,” she said, with a sideways glance at Ianto.

“Oi! Back off, Ho! You’ve got a good man of your own, stop sniffing around mine!” Ianto said, looking both pleased and horrified with himself.

Jack thought it was a cute look, and said so.

“He’s not _Jack_ though, is he?!” Gwen said then clamped both her hands over her mouth, eyes wide at what she’d said.

“You don’t have what it takes to keep a man like Jack,” Ianto told her, thoroughly pissed off by her attitude and finding himself unable to bear it silently like it always had before. “So give it up.”

“Ianto’s right,” Jack said, putting a comforting hand on Gwen's shoulder. “I know I send you mixed signals sometimes, and I’m sorry. Well, no, actually I’m not sorry. I guess I, well, enjoy the attention. But I made my decision a long time ago and it was one of the best ones I’ve ever made,” he added with an adoring look at Ianto.

“Cut it out!” Gwen groused, shrugged the hand off. “It’s not funny. That stupid box isn’t doing anything."

Ianto’s eyebrows rose at her obtuseness. “Jack just announced in front of us that he’s in love with me – you actually think that he would _ever_ say that unless under the influence of alien tech?!”

“Hey!” Jack protested, then fell silent.

“I know because he’s not!” Gwen insisted, tears springing to her eyes. “It’s not true!” she insisted. "Everyone knows that gay relationships aren't _really_ serious."

Ianto felt like pulling out his hair. Dealing with Gwen was trying under the best of circumstances. Although he wasn't inclined to give her a break and prevent her from embarrassing herself by any confessions to Jack, he really didn't feel like wasting his time hearing them. Speaking of time, a thought occurred to him, several of them actually; he’d always been good at multitasking.   
  
“Jack, how long do the effects of this alien truth device last?” he asked, eying his lover speculatively.

“About half an hour,” Jack replied, automatically checking his watch.

Ianto had taken out his stopwatch and set it running. He turned towards Gwen, an evil smirk on his face. “Is Rhys at home right now Gwen?”

“Uh…yeah.”

“Go _home_. Now if you’ll excuse us,” he told her, grabbing Jack’s hand and pulling him towards the office, “Jack and I have a few things to _discuss_.”  


**end part one**


	2. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More fun at you-know-who's-expense, and some nice Janto moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So back in 2010, I was reading a discussion about Ianto and Gwen being BFF's, and it inspired me to continue with another part to the story. Had to get some things off my chest, through Ianto.

Ianto was making them cups of coffee for the road while waiting for Jack to finish some stuff up in the office. For some reason Gwen decided to walk back through the door again. She should have left.

Ianto turned to her. “You’re back? Oh, don’t tell me, you’re hanging around waiting for Jack to profess his undying love for you.” Patented Ianto eye roll. (tm)

“I didn’t, it wasn’t…”

“Isn’t going to happen. And another thing,” Ianto began, working up a head of steam under the alien influence. “Delusion? _I'm_ delusional?!”

“Huh?” she said intelligently.

“You once told me I was delusional for believing Jack cares about me. Well let me tell you something, you’re so delusional that you can’t see the truth when an alien device is forcing it on you.”

“Oh Ianto,” Gwen put on what he thought of as her sympathetic/condescending face. “I’m not going to ask Jack anything about that. I wouldn’t humiliate you like that in front of you.” Her face turned disapproving.

“Right, just behind my back then,” Ianto mumbled to himself, but loud enough to be heard.

Gwen was losing her temper too now. “I’m sorry Ianto!” she yelled. “But you’ll never be able to give him what I can. _I’m_ the one that was meant to travel the universe with him, and that’s how it will be, one day.”

Ianto gawked at her in disbelief. “You? You have no _clue_ what being in love with Jack Harkness means, nor could you handle it. I accept Jack for who he is, not who I imagine him to be. He’s not your knight in shining armor that’s going to ride in and take you away. He’s a complicated, difficult, damaged, beautiful, and hurting immortal man who suffers every day that he’s alive. It’s not all some grand adventure, save those fantasies for the bodice rippers you hide under your computer monitor.”

“Delusional!” Gwen yelled.

“Whore!” Ianto returned, a bit aghast at himself for meeting her immature outburst with one of his own.

Jack chose that moment to wander obliviously out of the office, slipping an arm around Ianto's waist and looking at the two of them inquiringly.

“Go home and tell Rhys about your affair with Owen,” Ianto told her tiredly.

“I already did,” Gwen replied.

Both men stared at her with raised eyebrows. “Uh…when was this?” Jack asked.

“The night I retconned him.”

“You what?!” Jack said.

She got flustered again. “I just wanted him to forgive me… he wouldn’t forgive me and then the retcon kicked in and—“

“You retconned him first and _then_ told him what you did and asked for his forgiveness?” Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing.

“I had to,” Gwen insisted. “He’s all I have right now. You won’t…”

Jack looked at her sadly. She burst into tears at the expression of disappointment in his eyes and turned and ran out.

"She's more of a drama queen than _you_ are," Ianto opined, handing Jack his coffee.

"Am I really?" Jack asked, taking a sip of his beverage with an appreciative sigh.

"Sometimes."

They stood in companionable silence for a few minutes, enjoying their drinks.

Finally, Jack turned to Ianto. “What was that all about anyway?”

Ianto shrugged evasively. “Forgot her cell phone,” he lied. “Ready to go?”

“Soon as I get my coat.” As Ianto went to pull away, Jack’s hold tightened. “You know I love you, Ianto, right?” he asked hesitantly. “You know me so well, I often just assume you know things without me saying them.”

Ianto couldn’t help small satisfied smile curving his lips. He was fluent in Jack’s non verbal language. Still, everyone had insecure moments from time to time so it was nice to hear the words, even if they were forced by alien intervention.

“I’ll get your coat.” Ianto was halfway across the Hub when it hit him. He turned and stared at Jack as he realized that he’d lied about the cell phone a few minutes ago. That meant…. “The alien stuff, it’s effects already wore off.”

Jack’s smile caused a warmth to slowly spread through Ianto’s body. “I know.”

The end.

2010

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The line about Ianto being delusional comes from one of the TW novels, but I forget which one. I didn’t read it, only read some spoilers someone posted somewhere. The stuff about Jack and Gwen travelling the universe together comes from the Sin Eaters… (which I do have), she was prattering off to that effect believe it or not, when the alien had her.


End file.
